How we test

Cooking performance (60%): We conduct 3 tests to assess the performance of the cooktops:

White sauce on the smallest element with the lowest setting:
This tests the cooktop’s ability to perform at a low temperature for a long time.

White rice on the medium-sized element:
This tests the “turndown” capacity of the element (starting on a high heat and reducing to a simmer) and whether it can maintain a suitable heat at the lowest temperature setting.

Beef and vegetable stir-fry on the large element:
This tests whether the cooktop can deliver continuous high heat.

If a cooktop has a flexi-zone, we test how evenly the heat is distributed. This doesn’t contribute to the performance score.

Ease of use (40%): Rates the ease of using the controls, ease of cleaning, and the user-friendliness of the cooktop layout.